It’s Monday! What Are You Reading? From Picture Books to YA!
It’s Monday! What are you Reading? is a meme hosted by Sheila at Book Journeys. It is a great way to recap what you read and/or reviewed the previous week and to plan out your reading and reviews for the upcoming week. It’s also a great chance to see what others are reading right now…you just might discover the next “must-read” book!
Jen Vincent, of Teach Mentor Texts, and Kellee decided to give It’s Monday! What Are You Reading? a kidlit focus. If you read and review books in children’s literature – picture books, chapter books, middle grade novels, young adult novels, anything in the world of kidlit – join us! We love this meme and think you will, too.
We encourage everyone who participates to support the blogging community by visiting at least three of the other book bloggers that link up and leave comments for them.
Last Week’s Posts
Tuesday: Ten Characters Who Are Fellow Book Nerds
Friday: Preview of August’s #rwworkshop chat on 8/5 at 9PM ET
**Click on any picture/link to view the post**
Last Week’s Journeys
Kellee: My parents are visiting!!! This is a huge plus except when it comes to reading. Just like vacation, family visiting equals reading being pushed to the side. However, I was able to finish a novel and a graphic novel as well as a picture book. Cold War on Maplewood Street by Gayle Rosengren is a great historical fiction novel that is more than just a history lesson. I look forward to reviewing it on Tuesday. I also finished George O’Connor’s newest “Olympians” book, Apollo: The Brilliant One. It is set up a bit differently than the others in the series, but I think it worked for Apollo’s stories. This book doesn’t publish until January, so I don’t want to give too much away. I also read Tim Federle’s new picture book Tommy Can’t Stop! If you remember, I loved Federle’s Nate books, so when I saw this at the book store, I knew I needed to sit down and read it right then. Boy, am I glad I did. What a fun book about finding the right creative outlet for kids (and the need for creative outlets for all).
Ricki: This week, I read a variety of books. I finished a PD text called Researching Lived Experience by Max Van Manen. It was theoretical, but I found it to be interesting. I learned about Jean-Jacques Rousseau, an 18th century philosopher–considered to be one of the first philosophers who looked at and truly considered the child. His book was transformative in education and parenting. It, for example, inspired women to stop using wet nurses and to nurse themselves. Yet, ironically and sadly, he put all five of his children in orphanages (and all died of ill treatment in the orphanages). I am still pondering this, days after I closed the book.
I also read and enjoyed Cold War on Maplewood Street by Gayle Rosengren. I love historical fiction, and this is one of the few books I’ve read about the Cuban Missile Crisis, so I found it to be very compelling. Henry and I enjoyed the picture book, Henri’s Scissors by Jeanette Winter. I love books about artists, so I enjoyed this one.
This Week’s Expeditions
Kellee: I have already started The Rise of Aurora West by Paul Pope, and I plan on reading the sequel after. So far I am really liking the premise. Then I’m going to continue my graphic novel reading with The Nameless City by Erin Faith Hicks. After that, I plan on reading one of the books by the authors on my NCTE humor panel: Pickle: The (Formerly) Anonymous Prank Club of Fountain Point Middle School by Kim Baker, Hook’s Revenge by Heidi Schulz, or The Tiara on the Terrace by Kristen Kittscher. I also want to tackle some more of my #mustreadin2015. However, the summer is getting so short!!! I hope I can squeeze in some great reading during this last couple of weeks.
Ricki: Next week, I just might keep my promise and finish Harper Lee’s Go Set a Watchman. I’m struggling. I also plan to read Children Growing Up with War by Jenny Matthews.
Upcoming Week’s Posts
Wednesday: Windsnap Wednesday! Blog Tour, Giveaway, and Author Interview: Emily Windsnap by Liz Kessler
Thursday and Friday: 25 Girls Who Stand Out (in Middle Grade and Young Adult Literature)
Sunday: Author Guest Post!: “How Settings Help Shape Characters’ Character” by Anne Boles Levy, Author of The Temple of Doubt
So, what are you reading?
Link up below and go check out what everyone else is reading. Please support other bloggers by viewing and commenting on at least 3 other blogs. If you tweet about your Monday post, tag the tweet with #IMWAYR!
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I’ve been looking forward to Tommy Can’t Stop. I’m glad you liked it. I will have to look for the Cold War book. I just read Pickle and found it to be funny and one that I will be putting in students’ hands.
Good luck with Go Set a Watchman.
Tommy was a lot of fun. I also think it is important to have around.
Glad to hear that Pickle is good! I’ve loved working with Kim, so I cannot wait to read it.
Thanks. I need some luck because I am struggling. 🙂
I don’t know any books about the Cuban Missile Crisis, so Cold War On Maplewood Street will be a first, and you both make it sound good. Thanks for sharing about Tommy Can’t Stop, too. I’m glad there is a picture book for younger students from Federle too! Thanks for all!
Countdown by Deborah Wiles is another book about the Cuban Missile Crisis that I’ve read and really liked.
I’m glad Federle has a book for younger kids. A new, diverse voice in PBs is always good.
I read one a while back, but I can’t remember the title. I will have to search my archives to find it. I enjoyed it very much. 🙂
Sounds like you both have lots of good books coming up! I don’t know much about the Cuban Missile Crisis, and don’t know of any historical fiction from then, so I’m glad to learn about Cold War on Maple Street. The title makes me think of Monsters on Maple Street!
Good luck with Go Set a Watchman. It was hard for me in parts, but I thought the ending was worth sticking with. I ended up really liking Jean Louise’s crazy uncle. He has some wise words at the end–if youcan make sense of them.
The more I read, the more I learn, and I am intrigued. Must have been a scary time!
I thought the same thing about Monsters on Maple Street! Cold War on Maplewood Street is very enjoyable. I liked reading about the new-to-me context. I think I’ve only read one other book about this context.
I will push through Go Set a Watchman. I am looking forward to the ending more now!
I’m looking forward to reading your thoughts about Cold War on Maplewood Street. The Cold War is my favorite era of history precisely because it didn’t end in an actual war and that it ended, not with guns, but from the will of the people. I’m glad to see there are more middle grade and YA books being published about it.
Beth, I love how you worded that. What an interesting way of looking at it.
I, too, love seeing more of the 60s being shared in MG/YA lit.
I love the way you worded that. The book was great. It was a fun book to review. There are many things a teacher could do with it!
Hi, Kellee & Ricki –
I am back! Trying to get caught up and back into the swing of things. I missed you guys!
Looks like you both have some good books going on this week. I haven’t heard of most of the ones you mentioned, so thanks for the heads-up! I did get Go Set a Watchman for my birthday but haven;t had time to read it yet – too busy with my Big Books!
Enjoy your books this week –
Sue
2015 Big Book Summer Challenge
Yay! Welcome back Sue! We’ve missed you too!
Happy belated birthday! Hope you had a great one 🙂
Welcome back, Sue! We have missed you very much! We were thinking about you last week and hoping all was well! Glad you are back!
I like the dance steps included in Federle’s book. Either on the endpapers or under the dustjacket. The illustrator of it lives in Portland and he’s nice too. Jeanette Winter has lots of great books about artists.
I agree! I think that was a really fun part of the book!
I love hearing about authors/illustrators being personable! Great to hear 🙂
I grew up in art museums (my dad directs them), so I love art! Thanks for the heads up about Winter.
I am going to have to check out more of Winter’s books. I love reading about art.
So jealous you have Tiara!! I tried to get an ARC of that at NerdCamp, but no luck. Then I saw the author at an indie and she had one ARC that she gave to a young girl, boo hoo!!
I’m so excited to read it! 🙂 If you are going to be at NCTE, I’ve heard 😉 that there will be some there.
I enjoy reading historical fiction and Cold War on Maplewood Street looks amazing! I will have to reserve a copy from the library. Our theme on comics and graphic novels is coming up. Thanks for sharing The Nameless City. The graphics, as usual, look amazing! =)
It is a wonderful addition to middle grade historical fiction. Don’t you love learning about history with a great narrative leading the way?! The best!
When is your GN theme? I love graphic novels!
Historical fiction is the best. I hope you like it as much as we did! 🙂 🙂
I need to get Tim Federle’s picture book. I am a bit so-so on the Nate books (I feel like they drag on a bit), but I’m all in when it comes to Tim himself. Much as I love To Kill a Mockingbird, I don’t think I will read Go Set a Watchman. Too many other books I really do want to read! Hope you both enjoy your reading this week!
I can see a bit why you’d feel that way about Nate. I listened to the audiobooks which were so well done, so I think that helped.
(And I agree about Watchmen.)
At this point, I wish I hadn’t read it. But oh well. I must keep a forward momentum!
So many good books here I don’t know where to start! I’m going to see if I can order O’Connor’s Apollo book for my library today, even though it doesn’t come out for several months. That series is so popular (and well done!). I’m excited to see how it’s different. Cold War on Maplewood Street sounds super intriguing. I’m fascinating by that period in the US’s history. I definitely want to try to track down Hook’s Revenge which looks simply delightful!
Isn’t The Olympians one of the best graphic novel series? So thoughtful and intelligent and beautifully drawn.
I cannot wait to read Hook’s Revenge. I’ve loved preparing for the panel.
I love O’Connor’s work. Every book that I’ve read has been delightful. I met him at ALAN, and he is a wonderful man.
Thanks for hosting today! Cold War sounds amazing, I’ll have to get it.
Sad that Jen’s linky wasn’t working today, but ours is always here as a back up. We should have Jen’s figured out by next week. We love co-hosting IMWAYR!
Thanks for joining!
There are a few books on the Cuban Missile Crisis, but in general, there needs to be more historical fiction about the 1960s. I will even grudgingly admit that the 1960s are “historical”. Sigh.
You made me laugh!
And I agree about books about the 60s. There definitely needs to be more.
Ha! There was a 1980s book last year that made me rethink the whole historical thing. I understand your lamentation!
I haven’t read any of the Olympians books!! So now, I have a load on hold at the library… think my son will enjoy them as well.
Very excited about a new Emily Windsnap! 🙂 Happy reading to you both…
You both are going to love them! Such a great series! Enjoy!